Shawn Spencer: The Ultimate Reference
by sgs09
Summary: Shawn Spencer was the ultimate reference. He was the go-to guy for a quick reference when the Winchesters were in need of something. #1 in The Reference 'verse


**Summary:** Shawn Spencer was the ultimate reference. He was the go-to guy for a quick reference when the Winchesters were in need of something. (#1 in _The Reference_ 'verse)

**Author's Note:** I've been working on a casefic Psych/SPN crossover, but this oneshot came to me as a good prequel to my 'verse. I was thinking as I planned this oneshot, Shawn must know a _lot_ of people from his road trip days after high school. I'm thinking he probably has a bunch of connections. So here's my take on how his connections might come in handy for the Winchesters. ;)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to Psych or Supernatural, though I wish with all my heart that I did. I also don't own Shawn's Little Yellow Book, though I greatly wish I could steal it away for a few days.

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Shawn Spencer held 57 jobs (on record) after leaving high school. He lived in every state of the U.S. except West Virginia. He met many, _many_ people.

Ten months into his famous road trip, he gave up trying to keep all of his contacts in his phone's SIM card. He bought a little yellow book. (Gus would have suggested he buy a Little Black Book, but Shawn told himself that it would really be too cliché. Plus, the yellow book came with a pineapple bookmark, so there was no debate between yellow and black.)

His book was nearly full by the time he arrived back in Santa Barbara. Someday, he swore to himself, he would fill it completely. And with all of his work through the Psych office, that goal grew closer and closer to reality with each passing day.

With all of the people that Shawn had met throughout the United States (and other areas,) Shawn made quite a few friends. He performed many favors for these said friends, and not only that, but he was owed many in return. So if there was one thing that Dean Winchester knew how to exploit through his friendship with Shawn Spencer, it was his references.

Shawn was the ultimate reference.

Need an unbelievable amount of salt in Utah? Apparently, Frank from the local grocery mart in Kingston could hook you up.

Need some passable ID's forged somewhere near Michigan? Rodney from the Wallgreen's in Latner was the man to talk to.

Need any herbs that normal people don't even know existed? There was a guy over in Bretton, Illinois who had the _largest_ collection of the most _obscure_ plants and herbs.

Need a—well...you get the point.

Shawn Spencer held 57 jobs (_on record_) after leaving high school—58 if you count unpaid jobs.

For almost three months, Shawn Spencer hunted monsters and creatures few people believe in, with the Winchester trio. He was a year younger than Dean, had been out of school for seven months, and was ready for adventure. He handled firearms with enough aplomb to make even John Winchester approve. He saved Sam's life the first time they met, which put Dean forever in his debt. And he stood up to John without flinching, which made Sam idolize him (albeit secretly).

Though the life of a hunter was not quite in Shawn's long-term future, he did last for almost three months, which was longer than a lot of his other "professions." And when he left the Winchesters, it was in the knowledge that—should any of them need something from him, or he them—they would do what they could to help each other.

So when John left the boys to run a few solo hunts during Sam's senior year, they called Shawn whenever they dared to admit they needed an extra hand. He was always quick to agree to come, even when it meant driving for three days on his motorcycle. And the one time he needed a little...eh, not-_exactly_-legal help in a small something, Sam and Dean drove over to bust him out of the small-town jail and delivered a passable speech to his boss at the ranch to explain Shawn's sudden disappearance.

Suffice to say, Shawn Spencer was a good friend of the Winchester family. He even spent three weeks at Bobby's place after recovering from a nasty hunt and long hospital stay with the Winchester boys. He's only met two or three other hunters since getting sucked into the life of hunting, but he figures that was fine. Life was crazy enough with just Sam, Dean, John, and Bobby.

Dean had certainly called Shawn for enough favors over the years.

First it was the call from New Jersey, asking if Shawn knew anyone in the area who could find them some car parts for the Impala. He knew a guy who had a brother that worked in an antique car shop. He had helped the guy start his own business—a cafe that became a small franchise after six years. Shawn had gotten him the money for the first payment on the lease, and the guy totally owed him for it.

Shawn gave Dean the number and let him use his name as a reference.

Next it was a harried call from Connecticut, needing to know if Shawn was friends with any Catholic priests in the area. Fortunately, it was the one state where Shawn had taken to following a girl to mass in order to win her over. Without even meaning to, he had solved the mystery of who was stealing the tithe money, and he returned the loot (and the criminal) to Father Grayson. The man promised to do whatever he could if Shawn ever needed anything.

So Shawn let Dean use him as a reference.

Somewhere in there was Shawn's personal favorite—a phone call to ask for some fake ID's for John and Dean. Shawn naturally gave them his contact in Illinois. (The dude owed him big after Shawn managed to save his marriage by convincing his wife that Mark wasn't cheating on her.) But after giving Dean the contact info, he was brilliant enough to ask what kind of ID's they needed. He almost choked on his breakfast when Dean mumbled something about the Pentagon. Dean _did_ choke on something when Shawn said he had a friend who could get them inside _without_ the ID's.

Granted, he refused to tell Dean exactly what favor he was calling in from his friend Paul at the Pentagon, but he _did_ let Dean use him as a reference.

So Shawn became Dean's contact to reach almost everything he needed but couldn't get through normal Winchester means. He also helped Sam out when he first arrived at Stanford to get him a quick job and a temporary place to live, though he never told Dean. He even got a call or two from Bobby over the years.

Shawn retaliated by calling in favors of his own. When he needed a quick place to stay, he would often drop in on someone and crash for a few days. He spent two nights in Sam's dorm, made a few scattered visits to Bobby's place, and met up with Dean in random motels every now and then. When his job at a natural history museum in Texas was made more difficult by a haunting, he knew exactly whom to call. When he ran into a forest creature while camping with some buddies, he only had to make one call before he knew how to protect his friends from the thing with the really big teeth. When he got arrested in tiny Nowheresville, he knew who could get him out.

Life was good. For all involved.

Shawn did what he could for the Winchesters and Bobby, and it was always understood that, should Shawn need anything they could provide, they would do so quickly. It became a good system for both parties. When Shawn needed something, the other guys helped him out. And when they needed something, Shawn let them use him as a reference.

After all, he was like the ultimate reference. His little yellow book was full of contacts. Of course, it was all thanks to his 60 jobs after high school.

Only 57 were on record before he began Psych (#60).

Number 58 was work that only the Winchesters and Bobby knew of.

The 59th was...well, classified. Only a very small group of people knew about his work at this particular job, and let's just say that Paul from the Pentagon would probably never tell another living soul. The President had even sworn Shawn to secrecy.

Oh, did I mention that Shawn knew the President?

Again—the _ultimate_ reference here.

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A/N:

Points to whoever knows who Paul is! 


End file.
